


remem[b]er me

by fableknot



Series: Name and Night [2]
Category: Drag-On Dragoon | Drakengard, NieR: Automata (Video Game), Nier Gestalt | Nier
Genre: Ending D/E, F/F, Post-Game(s), Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-14
Updated: 2018-03-03
Packaged: 2018-10-31 21:30:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 19,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10907835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fableknot/pseuds/fableknot
Summary: In a place of perpetual shadow, another mystery remains.





	1. Chapter 1

A2 climbed the ladder of a ghost town, sunlight cutting through the breaks in the forest canopy and sliding down the planes of her face. The wooden planks built around the bulk of the tree creaked as she stepped off one platform after another. Once, its inhabitants would have swiveled their heads in her direction. Glowing round eyes would peek at her curiously from the shadows. Now, beneath the shade of a hut tucked between the branches, only a single pair greeted her.

"A2," Pascal said as he emerged from under the doorway. "I'm glad you came."

A dove descended above them, its wings beating air as it landed on his tin-can of a head. She felt her lips curve into a rare smile.

Much had happened since the fall of the moon base. Despite their efforts, the broadcasts persisted. The bright flash that shone on the moon's surface was passed as nothing more than a mere accident, the culprit being a malfunction in the system. Although there had been reports of injuries, along with a casualty or two, humanity remained alive and well.

A2 stood firmly behind 9S and 2B's accounts, but those who weren't close to the matter, or to the group in general, treated them with scorn and disbelief. When they returned for the device in order to retrieve some measure of proof, someone had already went out of their way to destroy it.

 _Which means that Command is still out there,_ Jackass had said before she took off to god-knows-where. _Guess I'll have to put off my date._ 10H had left soon after, once she had gotten used to her new body, spouting something about wanting to see the ocean. Finally, it was time for the lovebirds to say goodbye. They offered A2 the chance to accompany them, but her feelings on the matter hadn't changed.

 _Are you trying to act all impressive again?_ 9S had chimed.

2B jabbed at his side. _Take care of yourself,_ she had said.

A2 had chosen to stay near the city. In the weeks that followed, news of a possible armistice spread among the Resistance. The Army of Humanity had agreed to meet with the Machine Lifeform Peace Faction. A2 accompanied Pascal at his request, but it had been a struggle not to laugh. The armistice, in her humble opinion, was nothing more than a farce.

Pascal, on the other hand, was hopeful. Although she had chosen to erase his memories, his sunny disposition remained firm.

A2 folded her legs at the table in the center of the hut. Pascal politely did the same.

"The village looks cleaner now," she said. _Emptier._

"Really?" He scratched at the back of his head. "I feel like I haven't made any progress, no matter how many parts I manage to sell. It does look less like a dump, I suppose."

A2 was careful to keep her expression dispassionate, but the words stung in her chest. Inwardly, she asked herself why had she bothered to reacquaint herself with Pascal. She hadn't quite forgiven his kind—not to mention how adamant she was about keeping 9S and 2B at a distance—and it wasn't friendship that drove her to spare his life. Had she actually grown to have a sense of responsibility over him? A machine? The prospect sat ill.

"So?" she said. "What is it you called me for?"

Pascal dipped his head and picked at the edges of the table. "I would like to ask another favor."

She waited.

Slowly, he lifted his gaze. "I want you to take me to the Country of Night."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, the first chapter is always the hardest. There will be a lot more references to the original NieR and the Drakengard series so that I can attempt to bring the lore into a full circle, but having previous knowledge of these games will (hopefully) not be required. | This chapter was last updated on December 6, 2017.


	2. Chapter 2

Her first thought had been a resounding no.

No, she would not bring him to the Country of Night. No, she would not travel to the other side of the world for an escort mission. No, she had heard the rumors of what would await them there. No, it all sounded like much more trouble than it was worth.

But Pascal had needled and prodded until suddenly, they found themselves on a ship. It would have been impossible for them to organize a trip on their own, so they had spent the past month gathering intel on every possible way they could get there. In the end, the Resistance had been their ticket to landing a ride, in the form of a supply ship that would occasionally be sent across the Pacific.

It wasn't exactly the most luxurious means of transport. Every surface was worn by the weather, stripped down further by the waves and a massive engine that rattled what wasn't strapped down. However, A2 stood with her back to the rail, unwilling to stare at the alternative: the large swathes of trash floating above the water.

"Remind me again," she said to Pascal, "why are we doing this?" She wrinkled her nose at the stench of fish that wafted through the air, feeling more than just a twinge of regret.

He looked out into the sea beside her. "'We can never comprehend the depths of gloom of night in the light of day.'" He turned, his eyes closed partly to form a half-smile. "Or so the literature from the old world says. It's been quiet at home, so I've been reading a lot lately. When I read those words, I couldn't stop thinking about it."

"And now you want to see what's going on over there for yourself," she surmised.

"Not just that," he said. "I want to help."

A2 scoffed. "What, so you're planning on introducing the concept of peace like some kind of messiah? A bleeding heart is all well and good, but wars aren't solved that easily. Not everyone is like you." So long as they had their differences, the only way that peace would ever be achieved was for one side to be wiped out. That would never happen, of course. Machine production hadn't slowed since the whole fiasco with the Ark, and neither side wanted the cycle to end, for various reasons.

"But you're here," Pascal insisted, "which means you must have some faith in being able to make a difference."

"Only because you've been a pain in my ass," A2 replied. "This has gone long before we were ever created. The only thing we can do is fight, like when the machines came for—" _The children,_ she wanted to say. "Anyway, I thought it might do good to give the city some distance."

She felt Pascal's eyes on her. For a moment, she thought he might have remembered the machines of his village, but one look from her confirmed that he remembered no such thing. "Even if you don't actually believe in me," Pascal said, "I'm really glad you came."

A2 straightened from the rail. "Whatever." She turned her back to him and left for her quarters. Grey clouds followed them since they pulled from the docks. She might have even felt a hint of rain.

While the week dragged on, a growing feeling of nausea simmered at the back of her throat. Was it her surroundings perhaps, of being confined to this place from day-to-day? Or apprehension as they came closer to port?

She spent most of her time above deck, watching the crew scurry about like mice. They had avoided her and Pascal for the most part. A2 didn't give off the most friendly of auras, and Pascal was a machine. Not that she cared what the crew thought about them. She wasn't here to make friends.

Eventually, A2 decided to set her sights on the sea. Turbid waves battered against the sides of the ship from every direction, and she was reminded of how Pascal had looked at them without an ounce of disgust. What in the world had he seen in this place?

A2 leaned forward to rest her arms at the rail, unperturbed by the spray of salt that licked her skin. It had hardly been a minute before 9S and 2B invaded her thoughts. She shook her head. How could they still make themselves out to be a nuisance when they weren't even here?

She slapped a palm to her forehead, trying to will them away, but that had only made it worse. Conversations long past were wrenched to the forefront of her mind.

One especially stood out to her, when 2B had pulled her to the side and asked her for advice. In some ways, she believed A2 and 9S were similar. She claimed that they had a look on their face she couldn't read and if she didn't watch out, they would fly off to a place she couldn't reach.

A2 had laughed at that. It was easy to tell that they shared the same fear of losing one another, and they both complicated things by making their own assumptions. She had told her that upfront.

In any case, 9S was different. It was that inquisitive nature that got him into trouble, just as his predecessor had. He had to learn to hide things if he wanted to survive, or even if he wanted to retain his sanity. _While I..._

That train of thought was interrupted when she saw a darkened mass against the waves. _More trash?_ she thought disdainfully. But there was something strange about this one, glimmering to A2 like a beacon. Without thinking about it, she had walked down the steps to the deck below in a futile attempt to get closer. As she peered over the rail, she felt a flutter of wings on her shoulder, and she'd quickly thrown a hand out once she realized what it meant.

"Idiot," she yelled as the dove flew towards the mass. "Come back." She hopped up on the rail and watched anxiously as it made its descent. She wanted to dive headfirst into the water and swim after it, but that would make her the idiot in this situation. She swore under her breath.

"A2?" It was Pascal. "What's wrong?"

She gestured at the dove in frustration. "There's something out there."

Pascal canted his head. "Like what?"

"I don't know," A2 said. "It looks like a—"

All of a sudden, she felt the air rush from her chest. A wave had carried it closer, bringing the mass into perfect clarity.

"A body."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should have mentioned earlier that I'll be going at a much slower pace with this, _but_ I do intend to complete it, no matter how long it takes. The quote comes from Haruki Murakami's _The Wind-up Bird Chronicle._ | This chapter was last updated on March 4, 2018.


	3. Chapter 3

"Pascal, get the captain," A2 said, fighting to keep her voice calm. "There's someone in the water." She had barely registered his footfalls receding into the ship. Her focus had shifted to pulling whoever it was to safety. 

The more rational part of her asked if it would even matter. They were miles away from shore. The body could have been floating out there for weeks. Repairs may as well be impossible.

Although these thoughts had been racing through her head, A2 didn't hesitate as she got down from the rail and ripped the life preserver that clung to the wall. A start, perhaps, but a useless one if they couldn't grab on.

"Hey, you there," she shouted. "Are you awake?"

No response.

A2 worked her jaw. "I'm going to throw down a life preserver," she pressed. "I need you to hang on, or I can't pull you up with the rope."

The body knocked aimlessly against the side of the ship. From here, they really were no different from the trash that made up the sea. Yet her conscience forbid her to leave them there. Forget having a sense of responsibility over Pascal. She seemed to be in the habit of trying to save people on a regular basis.

"Note to self," she said. "Find the chip that issues these commands and destroy it."

She wound one end of the rope around the rail in a tight knot before pitching into the water below. Icy waves rushed up to meet her and for a brief instant, all she could see was the dark chasm of the ocean. A flicker of fear awakened within her, but the life preserver tucked underneath her arm quickly carried her to the surface.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid," she gritted as she swam over to the body. Thankfully, they were still floating in the same place she had left them. As A2 drew closer, the dove abruptly flew from its perch and returned to the railing. She shot it a glare, wondering if the anxiety it caused was worth having it around.

A2 brought a limp arm around her neck, shivering at the unnatural coolness of their skin, and dug her nails into the rope. If she could just get a good grip, she could carry them up together. She placed one foot against the surface of the ship, and then another, until she had her momentum. She could do this, she told herself.

But then the ship stopped, and A2 stilled. As the monstrous structure grumbled in protest, one of her feet slipped out under her. Her eyes fell on sea, and she swallowed.

This was what would get her killed, by involving herself with morons who couldn't be trusted to keep themselves out of harm's way. Maybe it was fitting, since she was no better.

Then she felt a tug on the line. A2 turned her gaze up to find Pascal and a crew member pulling them to the deck. She grinned. "Took you long enough."

Pascal hoisted them both over the rail, where they was greeted by the rest of the crew. Shouts and murmurs filled her ears as they surrounded her. She pushed them away, feeling just about ready to collapse right then and there.

"That was reckless of you," Pascal said, wrapping a towel around her shoulders.

A2 snorted. Seawater dripped from her hair and formed a trail beneath her feet. The crew member had taken the body from her arms and carried them to the infirmary.

"Do you think they'll be able to boot them back up?" Pascal asked.

She shrugged. "Who knows?" Their black boxes may have set them apart from other androids by allowing them higher functionality, but they made repairs immensely difficult. What's more, she was an Attacker, not a Healer. Whatever happened next was out of her hands.

"You should go down there, too."

She leveled him a look. "I've had worse."

"It wouldn't hurt." Pascal laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Please, A2. If you work too hard, whether you’re a machine lifeform or human, you’ll end up broken."

She sighed. "Alright, alright," she said, swatting him away. "If it'll get you to shut up."

A2 started into the ship but slowed once she was out of Pascal's sight. Her gait was lazy, sluggish even. The crew members who happened to be passing by noticed as well, tossing concerned glances over their shoulders. A sound spidered through the corridors, rising to an eerie cacophony. She didn't need to turn around to know what it was. A2 stopped before a narrow flight of stairs to mutter, "Keep it together."

As she crossed the threshold of the infirmary, she noticed the medics had formed a tight circle around their new patient. She could only catch glimpses as she sat down on a nearby cot.

A2 rested her chin in her hand. Her blonde hair clung to her head in an unsightly mop. She reached up with her other hand to pluck a piece of seaweed that got tangled in the strands. If there was one thing she was grateful for, it was that there wasn't anyone else she knew on this ship. It would certainly ruin her image.

She pinched a strand between her fingers, examining it speculatively from side to side. She wouldn't mind cutting her hair again.

After a while, the crowd began to thin, and A2 spared the body a sideways glance. Water soaked into the inky black lines around her collar and the glossy curls that cascaded down her back. Unlike A2, whose clothing had gradually been worn away from battle, she was dressed in a delicate white lace. Beneath her sunken eyes and pinched cheeks, A2 could see the whisper of a warm smile and a rosy glow.

Her throat constricted. She knew that face. No matter how long they had been apart, she would never forget it.

For the body laying across from her was nothing short of a ghost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listening to Aimer's "[broKen NIGHT](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzlQOv3kuh0%22)" from her album _Dawn_. Can you spot the reference to the NieR Music Concert: The Memories of Puppets? | This chapter was last updated on March 4, 2018.


	4. Chapter 4

_Number 4._

Her name echoed in A2's thoughts like a broken record. The room around her had drifted away, as real to her as a dream. In her mind's eye, she saw herself descending down the elevator of Mt. Ka'ala, where the world had been painted with red.

She gripped the edge of the cot to steady herself. What was happening here? Was this some kind of a joke?

A2 forced a laugh. "Must be another memory," she said weakly. "A hallucination."

She waited for reality to come back to her, for everything to return from being bizarre and insubstantial, but that face hadn't faded from her sight.

A2 stood. She wasn't sure what she had planned to do then. Crush her to her chest? Throw her back in the ocean? All she knew was that she was drowning. Grief surged through the cracks of her exterior. Her emotions were nothing but a terrible onslaught. As her feet brought her closer and closer to the other cot, A2 finally made up her mind.

And left.

—

Pascal and A2 spied on their mysterious guest from an upper deck. She was leaning against a box of cargo, her lips tipped in a brilliant smile, while the crew gazed at her with rapt attention, like flowers toward the sun. One would have never have guessed that it had been two days since the medics had brought her back from the brink of death. 

"Who is she?" Pascal asked.

A2 was wondering about that herself. Years ago, Number 4 had sacrificed herself to save her from the machines and ended up being blown to bits. Now some android who just happened to have her face emerges from the middle of nowhere, seemingly in one piece? A2 refused to believe it.

"That uniform," Pascal observed. "Is she from YoRHa? But her clothes are white." He tossed his head. "Have you talked to her yet?"

"No," she answered evenly. On the contrary, A2 had avoid her like the plague.

"Really?" he said. He may have not been built with eyebrows, but his voice betrayed his surprise. "Then let's go introduce ourselves. This is the perfect opportunity."

She stepped away. "Do what you want. Just leave me out of it."

"Why?"

"That's none of your business."

She was about to leave when Pascal turned and said, "You've been acting strange lately. Does it happen to do with her? Do you know her?"

She winced. He had hit it right on the mark.

"So you do," he said quietly. "Shouldn't you be happy to see her then? Why won't you—" He stopped.

A2 could almost see the discomfort twisting her face. She didn't want his accusations, or his pity. She looked away, letting her hair fall like a veil between them, and retreated once more to her quarters.

—

By the time A2 returned, the sky had taken on a faint pastel hue. Soon, night would come to coax out the stars. By now, Pascal and that android would have had enough of the deck, and A2 would temporarily be free from whatever trouble the two of them entailed.

She knew she was acting just as cowardly as 9S and 2B had. They would certainly tease her about it if they were here. She could almost hear 2B's words in the courtyard, from when A2 confronted her about running away.

_Haven't you been doing the same thing?_

A2 sunk down until her forehead hit the rail. The dove had taken the chance to hop blithely around her shoulders. "Piss off," she said, unsure of who she was directing it to.

"And just when I thought to join you," a voice from behind her said, sending little pinpricks down her spine. "What a nice sunset."

A2 hadn't meant to look—she hadn't _wanted_ to—but she had spun around as if someone had pulled her by a thread. Her pulse stuttered as she drank in the smooth expanse of the her skin, colored with pink from the breeze and so very much alive. Her black hair was pinned up to the side in a ponytail, gently swaying as she walked up to her.

"Won't you kindly reconsider?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, has it already been a month? I have had a hard time getting into the flow of things, with school going on and my general dislike for my choice of wording in the initial chapters, but I think I've been coming to terms with just plowing through and making my own edits later on. Otherwise, I might not get anywhere. | This chapter was last updated on February 20, 2017.


	5. Chapter 5

A2 was silent towards the android who held her gaze. This was exactly what she wanted to avoid. What was she supposed to say?

"A2, was it? I heard it was you who saved me." She smiled. Her voice brought on a wave of nostalgia that soothed and rattled all at once. "Unit A4, at your service."

The wind tugged at the ends of her dress and stirred the strands of her hair. She was like a jab at an exposed nerve.

"A4," A2 said at last. A traitorous rasp slipped in her throat, and she cleared it. Even if she accepted that this was Number 4, did she remember anything of their past? A2 searched her face, unable to find the slightest spark of recognition. Again came a mix of emotions: relief and disappointment.

But whether or not they were the same, whether or not she retained her memories, shouldn't A2 be happy to see her, as Pascal had aptly pointed out? Not everyone had a chance like this. She should be thanking her stars or whatever force that brought them together, considering their reunion as a sign to start anew.

Yet she couldn't shake the terrible wrongness of it all. Her presence was far too convenient, and A2 struggled to understand what it meant.

"Yes, A2?" A4 said, a teasing glint in her eye.

A2 stifled the blush that nearly risen to her cheeks. It occurred to her that she had done nothing more than stare and parrot her name.

"Your designation?" A2 managed, reigning for control. "Where did you come from?"

"The ocean, or so I'm told." Cheeky.

"You know what I mean. Were you apart of Project YoRHa?" 

"YoRHa?" She feigned innocence.

"Were there any others with you?" _Number 16, Number 21..._

A4 shrugged. "As far as I can tell, I'm all alone."

"How did you end up here?"

"Who knows?"

A2 brisked. "I have no patience for games."

"As do I," she said. "Why have you been avoiding me?" That shut her up. "You know me, don't you? I can see it on your face."

A2 shied away. Words deserted her. They were the same questions, yet she couldn't face them.

She jolted in surprise when A4 had thrust herself back into view. "Do you hate me?"

Had her memories been wiped? Damaged in the time she'd been away? Or was this A4 just a copy? But from where? A2's hand rose in the space between them. She couldn't help herself. Under her piercing eyes, her practiced calm fell away.

She stopped. Her blurred surroundings and muffled sounds brought themselves back into clarity. _Madness._ Instead of reaching for her face, A2 pushed her away. She glanced at her once, catching a measure of hurt. She didn't look again.

—

Sleep offered little relief. Hazy images shifted in-and-out of focus, of a boy who wanted to put a Lunar Tear in her hair, a scientist who lay beneath smoke and stars, and an old woman who wrapped her in a warm shawl.

"Get out." They may have been better than the distant memories that haunted her since the Pearl Harbor Descent, but she was troubled enough as it was. A2 summoned a blade. " _Get out._ "

She brought her sword down indiscriminately. Images flew apart like the bolts of a machine. She hacked at the memories as she would any enemy. She destroyed until nothing remained. Over and over it went, until she was in but a black room.

Her breaths came hard and fast. She may be in a dream, but exhaustion weighed over her like a specter. She regretted not being the one to deliver Zinnia's death. Upon learning his identity, she had cursed him repeatedly for his piss-poor design.

Suddenly, fire ripped through her torso. "You seem to be having a bit of trouble." A blade had sunk into her, dripping pools of red.

Number 4's shadow lengthened over the room. "2B's memories, Number 2's memories, Kainé's memories," she drawled. "I wonder what would happen if someone were to unlock the machine's that resides in your black box?"

A2 could do nothing as Number 4 jerked her blade, broadening the splatters on the walls. Even now, she had her wrapped around her finger. A2's sword felt like a dead weight in her hands.

Number 4's smile split into a toothy grin. "There would be nothing left of you," she said. "Not that there was much anyway. After all these years, you're just a crybaby who's gotten better at hiding it, a defective creation holding on a flimsy excuse to live." She leaned in her ear. "I can't believe I died for someone so pathetic."

A2 reached for the blade protruding from her chest. "Number 4..."

"What?" There was a momentary pause. "Oh, I get it. Even when you're trembling with fear, you're still trying to keep up with appearances."

"Number 4," A2 continued, as if she hadn't spoken, "would never say something like that." With a cry, she disentangled them and swung.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to think that the memories implanted in A2's generation of YoRHa prototypes was extracted from the data used in Project Gestalt. She is very much her own person though. | This chapter was last updated on January 7, 2018.


	6. Chapter 6

Sometime later, darkness had fallen over the ship. Mast lights, flickering with disuse, covered the walls of the exterior. Every so often, A2 would spot a crew member walk by with a light. But beyond the ship, the fine line that separated the sea from the sky was nearly nonexistent.

A2 had been patrolling the corridors, trying to distract herself from the dream that burned fresh in her mind, when she found Pascal and A4 speaking at the bow. She crept up behind a stack of crates, her footsteps no louder than a whisper. She shouldn't eavesdrop, but there was no way A2 would barge herself between the two or heaven forbid, _beg_ Pascal for details.

A4 sighed. "Shame we couldn't enjoy the sun for a little while longer."

"I'm sorry about A2," Pascal said. "That's really how she is. Well, actually, she's been more aloof than usual."

A4 shook her head. "It's fine. It's been... an interesting couple of days."

Pascal hesitated. "Have you two met before?"

"I don't know," she answered. "The way she looked at me, it was almost like..."

Her expression clouded for a moment before Pascal interrupted with, "You were lovers reincarnated?"

A4 laughed.

"What if you were?" Pascal said, rather seriously. "What if you lost your memory, and maybe even became a completely different person than who you used to be? Wouldn't it bother you?"

Way to drop a hint. These stupid machines needed to learn what boundaries were. A2 was half-tempted to jump out and end the conversation right there.

A4 surprised her, however, when she answered. "I would think... perhaps that’s just a way to continue on living." She shook her head. "In any case, while the idea is very romantic, it is also very, _very_ unlikely."

Pascal rubbed the back of his neck in a way that was almost sheepish. "I might have read too many books."

A2 slipped away. Since when have the two of them gotten on such good terms? Was A4 completely ignorant of the conflict between machines and androids? It was one mystery after another with her. A2 clenched her fist, annoyed that Pascal felt the need to meddle in her private affairs. Was she really acting so unreasonable? She didn't need anyone to apologize for her behavior, especially to some Mary Sue impostor.

Weariness crinkled the skin around her eyes. She should have stayed home, picking off rogue machines with no one but herself and a bird.

A2 froze. Was that still an option? Once they arrived and the supplies were delivered, the ship would eventually turn itself around. Perhaps she should be paying the captain a visit.

She ambled over to the bridge and threw open the door with a kick of her foot. "Hey, are we any closer to land yet?"

The captain paid no attention to her from his position at the helm. His eyes were trained forward, and his hands were gripped firmly on the wheel.

A fiber in her jaw ticked. There might have been a more delicate way to go about asking, but A2 was not in the mood for formalities. "Are you listening to me?" She reached for his shoulder. "I said, are we any closer to—" She took one look at his face and breathed, "Shit."

Staring back at her, beneath the rim of his cap, were eyes awash with red.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your patience! The last exam of the semester was a couple days ago, and I had some personal stuff I needed to deal with, but I will now be dedicating more of my time to getting this story going. | This chapter was last updated on January 8, 2018.


	7. Chapter 7

A2 recoiled as if she'd been burned. "What the hell?" she said, backing away as the captain staggered for her. He craned his head at an awkward angle, producing a guttural cry, before slamming into her with his full weight.

She pushed hard at his chest, while the captain thrashed about in his damnest effort to get closer. Grinding her teeth, A2 ducked over to the side while shoving him in the opposite direction. He fell against the floor with a crash, prompting the other crew members to turn and stare. All eyes were red.

A2 produced a sword from behind her back and ran, never once looking back. The impact of what had happened truly sank in. Dread churned in the pit of her abdomen. She had to find Pascal and A4.

She ran up to the bow, relieved to find that they were still there, behaving as though nothing had changed.

Pascal turned, blinking at her disheveled appearance. "What's wrong?" he asked.

She stomped over to him. "It's the crew," she said. "They've been infected."

He exchanged a glance with A4. "What are you talking about?"

"The logic virus is aboard the ship." She slammed her fist against the rail, if only to emphasize the direness of their situation. She didn't care how crazed she looked, or how desperate she must have sounded. "We have to get the boats."

"Where would that be?" A4 asked.

"I think I saw some down by the stern," Pascal added, finally catching on. "But A2, we can't leave them." 

"What do you suggest we do?" she demanded. "Stay here longer and risk getting infected ourselves? We don't know how far it's spread, and none of us have access to the vaccine." Her muscles hummed and quivered with an emotion she couldn't name. Faces of the dead paraded in front of her, taunting her.

A4 placed a reassuring hand on Pascal's arm. "We'll tell them—the, um, Resistance," she amended, "what happened here."

"Come on," A2 exclaimed. "Let's go."

They hastened for the stern. There was no need for A2 to head to her quarters to pack. She had brought nothing of importance, except for her sword.

Pascal looked over to her. "How did this happen?"

"Hell if I know." They weren't connected to a network, which was how the virus destroyed the Bunker, but it looked like it was spreading fast. The skin on her palms itched, and she was overwhelmed by the urge to wash her hands. How was it being transmitted? Was the virus already working its way into her systems?

A crew member charged at them from the front, and her body acted on impulse, slicing him in two. Metal parts wheeled through the air, electricity crackling between them.

Finally, they reached the machinery that held the boats. A2 swore as she realized that they would need the time to operate it. Voices echoed behind them, loud and disjointed.

A2 pivoted and widened her stance, her grip on her sword tightening. Pascal and A4 looked back at her in confusion. "Get in the boat," A2 barked. "I'll hold them off."

They nodded, setting to work on lowering the boat. The noise drew more of the infected's attention, until it appeared as though they were up against the whole bloody crew. A2 exhaled through her nose, clearing her mind of any doubts, focusing solely on making it out alive.

She held her ground, raining down blows as the infected advanced on her. They were no more than animals in their state. Killing them would be a mercy. A2 danced around them with a trained indifference, tearing the flesh from their frames in one swift arc after another.

A savage yell erupted from her throat when a crew member pounced her from the side. They fell backward into the floor, rolling around the deck. A2 screamed as she felt black marks rake across in her skin, her mind a deafening tumult. Just when she was about to activate berserk mode, the dove swooped in, flapping its wings against her attacker's face. He eased off of her, and A2 stabbed her blade dead center.

"A2," she heard Pascal call, which meant the boat was in the water. She shouldered through the infected and fell heavily on the rail. Pascal and A4 waved at her to jump down. They had already gained some distance away from the ship, but not enough for them to be out of her reach.

A2 swallowed, strangely tempted to mutter a prayer, and vaulted over the rail. The wind howled in her ears as she re-entered the icy depths of the sea. Salt stung her nose, her eyes, as she kicked herself up to the surface.

Then she heard a splash beside her. Before she knew it, a hand took hold of her ankle and yanked her down. A2 flailed her legs, grasping furiously for the boat, but she had only sunken further into the deep. She was losing hold of everything. Air flew from her lungs in an explosion of bubbles. Blackness shimmered before her eyes. Her own consciousness was slipping away from her.

At the very least, she had been the one to save her.

A2 closed her eyes. The last thing she saw was a shadow, reaching for her from a muted light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We have about a month until fall, so let's get to it~! | This chapter was last updated on January 7, 2018.


	8. Chapter 8

She was cold. The world, dark and damp, hung suspended.

_Why didn't you fight back? You're stronger than that lot._

The heaviness in her limbs held her down, while her head swam in a blissful fog.

_Don’t you dare throw away everything we've been through for nothing! All we can do now is fight._

Annoyance penetrated her. It was easy for anyone to parrot a bunch of trite words. Still, she stirred.

_We have to fight, because that is the purpose of our existence._

Her body seized up, water spluttering from her gaping mouth. A miserable ache pervaded her, and she curled in on herself.

"A2." She pried her eyes open to look at Pascal, who was on his knees. "Thank goodness."

"Where are we?" she croaked.

"The boat," he said. "One of the crew members followed you, but we took care of them. It's a good thing you didn't lose your black box."

She dragged her gaze over to the supply ship in the distance. A steady column of smoke drifted over the skyline. It would seem that she was incapable of dying. How many times had she toed that precarious edge?

"It wasn't easy repairing you," he went on. "I don't know much about android anatomy, and A4 did most of the work. You have to thank her when you get the..." Pascal stiffened as A2 lurched to her feet. His shock only lasted for a second before he tried to stop her, his hands fretting nervously over her shoulders. "Hey! You should lie down unt—"

"You can drop the act." A single lantern dangled on one end of the boat, A4 standing like a sore thumb against its brilliance. A2 closed the distance between them and brandished her sword. "Who are you?"

When she didn't answer right away, A2 rested the blade at her throat. "I'll ask again," she said, a dangerous undercurrent to her tone. "Who are you? Where did you come from?"

Her eyes, sharp and unreadable, flickered in the lamplight. "You think I caused this? Sorry, but if you expect me to break into some contrived monologue that'll answer all of your questions, you are so mistaken."

A sardonic smile played on A2's lips. "Maybe I didn't make myself clear." She only needed to adjust her grip to draw red. "Do you have any idea of the situation you're in?"

A4 didn't flinch. "Do you?" She smirked. "I'm not scared of you."

Pascal looked between them. "A2, stop this."

"She knows more than she's letting on," she snapped, her eyes focused on A4. "Don't you think it's strange that the logic virus shows itself just days after she gets on the ship? I guess we should count ourselves fortunate that she remembers how to heal, considering she's forgotten everything else."

"It does sound suspicious," he relented, "but we can't prove that she's related to any of this."

The tension grew palpable on her tongue. Her chest rose and fell like a stormy tide. They had to know what A4 was keeping secret. They had to know what she was capable of.

"This isn't the place to be accusing each other." His voice sounded strained. "Right now, we need to search for land."

As if in response, a clap of thunder roiled the night sky. A2 went rigid, all too aware of the water that clung to the star-like points of her lashes, the wet planes of her collar, and the pulse that hammered beneath steel.

"Please, A2. Let her go."

Reluctantly, she relinquished her hold.

A4 felt for the mark she left on her neck.

"I'm not done with you," A2 promised.

She let her hand drop to her side. "My designation is A4," she said. "I didn't lie about that."

—

Rain, like fine silvery needles, pelted from the clouds. A4 sat in her corner of the boat, scrubbing vigorously at her blackened hands. She hadn't looked at A4 once since she confronted her.

Pascal pointed at something in the sky. "Look."

She did, her hand hovering protectively over the dove that cuddled at her hip. A flash of light streaked behind the clouds. She squinted, the long strands of her hair flying about her head. Right there, darting in the midst of a storm, was the outline of a flight unit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There were quotes taken from a [certain someone's dreams](http://nier.wikia.com/wiki/Kain%C3%A9%27s_Dreams) and the [YoRHa Girls Musical](http://nier2.com/blog/yorha-stage-play/). | This chapter was last updated on March 4, 2018.


	9. Chapter 9

The flight unit descended, accompanied by two others. A2, A4, and Pascal were quick to have their hands raised in surrender. That wasn’t enough, of course. The soldiers had to confiscate her weapon and hold them in restraints before they could even agree to escort them over to the continent.

The rain had shaped into something soft and white. Tiny flecks of them dotted the air around A2, pinpricks of cold touching where they landed on her skin, blanketing the ground in a thick pristine layer. The rubble from the Tower had caused a similar but temporary phenomenon in the city ruins.

They were taken to a large compound that was basked in widespread beams of light. An android stood proudly at the entrance, her flint-colored hair curled into ringlets and a long pipe between her lips. She wore an outfit similar to what the Commander had, with a slit that cut high into her torso and a coat hanging loosely from her shoulders.

A2 tensed, wary of the dozens of soldiers that flanked her. It wasn’t a good sign when all three of them were still cuffed, and the soldiers had left them with no other option but to follow them into camp. Her mouth nearly fell when the dove decided to leave her then, flying off into the night. _Ungrateful little..._

The soldiers forced them to their knees. Squinting under the harsh glare of the floodlights, A2 looked up at the android with the pipe. 

"I am Colonel Rye," she said. "Welcome to Fort Verne."

—

A2 was seated in a small room, with A4 beside her. A thin strip of metal separated them from the Colonel.

"You've caused quite a stir," the Colonel began, her hands clasped beneath her chin. "Two androids and a machine, together in the Pacific. I'm surprised you weren't at each other's throats. The squadron that picked you up found a burning ship nearby, sending out an intermittent distress signal."

"We were on that ship," said A2. "We were headed here, to the Country of Night."

The Colonel pursed her lips in a drawn-out sigh. "Then I'm guessing that that was the ship we were supposed to be receiving tomorrow." She shook her head. "So the Resistance sent you? What happened? Judging by your outfits, you don't look like you were apart of the crew." The Colonel leaned forward, very much like a cat gauging its prey. "Why do you look like units from Project YoRHa? Except you're in white." She pointed at A4 and then swept her finger over to A2. "And you, you're naked."

A2 ignored that last comment, although she wasn't exactly wrong in her observation. Not much of her uniform endured over the years. A2 opened her mouth, wanting to voice her suspicions about A4, but hesitated. How would they react if she said that A4 may have started the outbreak on the ship? Would they kill her?

"That’s because we are what’s left of YoRHa," A2 answered. "A4 and I were on an escort mission when the ship was infected with the logic virus. We barely escaped. And Pascal, he just wants to bring peace."

A4’s brows flew up, as if she hadn't expected A2 to cover for her. After all, she was someone who held her at sword-point not too long ago.

"Pascal?" The Colonel cocked her head. "You mean the machine?"

"The same one who facilitated the armistice a couple months back."

A2 saw a spark of interest in the Colonel's eyes. "I didn't realize we were hosting a celebrity."

"Now we've answered your questions," A2 said with thinly-veiled annoyance. She had gone as far as her patience would allow. "How about you answer some of ours? Where is Pascal?"

The Colonel smiled. "I would answer that prisoners aren't in the position to be asking anything, but I'll throw you a bone." She made a motion with her hand. "We're keeping it under lock-and-key until we have our information."

A2 narrowed her eyes. "He isn't a threat."

The Colonel's smile hadn't faltered. "That's still under consideration."

A2's hands fisted at her sides, digging half-circles into her palms.

The Colonel tsked. "Careful. Emotions are supposed to be forbidden to your kind."

A2's breath hitched in her throat. Did she know? Did she know anything about how monstrous the YoRHa units really were? How they were barred to even act human like the rest of them? A tangle of emotions twisted inside her, but she swallowed them down. "What is Fort Verne?" she asked. "Where is it?"

"The fort is one of the better properties of the Army of Humanity, just outside the habitable zone," the Colonel replied. "Although they would prefer to deploy their forces all at once, utilizing the satellites in orbit, we continue to house garrison on Earth." She leaned back in her chair. "The Army of Humanity may have declared an end to the 14th Machine War, but we anticipate the day when the next one starts."

Another war, another cycle. Nothing that was new. "How are you related to the Resistance?"

The Colonel rolled her eyes, as if she had brought up a tedious subject. "The Resistance stems from an operation that was conducted during the 8th Machine War. Initial reports claimed they were wiped out, but there were actually a significant number of survivors. Since then, they've established multiple camps, acting more-or-less as a separate entity, similar to your YoRHa. To be honest, I'm saddened that they didn't think tell you about us, if your claim about them is to be believed."

"All I wanted was a ride," A2 said tersely. "I didn't care for the specifics."

"I see." The Colonel rapped her hand on the table, her eyes thoughtful. "Satisfied yet?"

A2 worried her lip. "When will you be releasing us?"

"That depends."

"On?"

"Whether or not you're to be trusted." The Colonel stood and nodded to the guard at the door. "Take them to the holding cells. They aren't to take a single step outside until we decide what to do with them."

A2 shot up, but was stopped by the restraint that latched her to the table. Heat crept out under skin. She jerked her wrist. "You conniving b—"

A look of boredom crossed the Colonel’s expression. "Arguing won't help your case, you know. Just sit quietly until we're ready."

Baring her teeth, A2 lunged vainly after the Colonel as she sauntered through the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Researching the naming conventions of the game was more fun than I expected. I considered naming the Colonel after a flower, or the parts of a flower, but I decided to go with something a tad different. | This chapter was last updated on March 19, 2018.


	10. Chapter 10

A2 fell into the tiled floor, a snarl on her lips, before twisting around and slamming into an invisible wall. It seared her skin, but the pain merely served to anger her further. She pushed and shoved against the barrier of her cell, only to be met with a blistering heat every time.

A4's voice came through the darkness. "You're hurting yourself." She resided in the shadows of another cell, her back against the wall and her knees bent to her chest.

"I don't care," A2 hissed back.

A4 considered her. "You think you can help Pascal if you're injured?"

"If we let them do what they want with us, there's no guarantee we'll be better off."

It continued like that for a while, with A2 throwing her shoulder against the barrier, until she eventually settled for pacing the cell. Escape was never impossible. She had learned that over and over throughout the years. She only had to stop and think.

A4 spoke up. "You told them that we were working together. I'm not sure if I should be thanking you."

"Don't." A2 slid her gaze over to her. "I didn't trust you then, and I don't trust you now."

She laughed under her breath. It was a pleasant, lilting sound. "Really, I hadn't expected that you would be..." She trailed off, her eyes downcast.

A2 paused, curious as to what she would say. 

"An exhibitionist."

"Shut up." It wasn't like she was bare of any fabric at all. Why did she feel embarrassed in the first place? They were androids.

The flash of a grin across the corridor caught A2 unawares. While she fought to keep the scowl on her face, the corner of her mouth twitched in reply.

"Go to sleep," A2 said. "One of us has to."

Time passed, or at least she thought. There were no clocks, no windows, to keep track of the hour. The only sounds were her footsteps bouncing off the walls of her cell and the crunching snow outside. Occasionally, there were voices, but she knew well-enough that they were just in her head. A2 laid back against the floor, her eyes closed, uncertain of how long she'll be able to hold them at bay.

Then the door flew open, shattering the silence, sending a flurry of snowflakes into the corridor. A2 grimaced at the light behind them. Did everything have to be so damn bright? They might as well be putting a target on their backs.

The Colonel stepped out. Relief briefly came over A2 when she spotted Pascal behind her.

"Rise and shine," said the Colonel. "We're putting you to work."

—

The Colonel led them through the fort, the soldiers at their back keeping them in an orderly line. For now, A2 followed along, her eyes darting in all directions, memorizing each and every detail.

The soldiers weren't as uniform in their appearance as the YoRHa units were. She was reminded of her first meeting with the Resistance. Their clothes were just as haphazard, although there were certain features that they all shared. Each soldier wore some variation of a blue jacket, with a hand representing their insignia.

The Colonel blew into her pipe, sending a cloud of smoke into the air. A2 wrinkled her nose at the smell, thoroughly puzzled over its purpose.

"What makes you think that we'll work for you," she asked, "after the horrible treatment you've given us?"

The Colonel stopped in front of a building that was crescent in shape. "Because we're giving you exactly what you wanted," she said. "The opportunity to bring peace."

The drone of a motor started inside the building, pulling the large door into the ceiling. A small group of soldiers scrambled to attention on the other side, raising their left hand to their chest.

The Colonel turned her back on the soldiers. "Your mission will be to make contact with a machines that resides to the north. My squadron will be accompanying you." She inclined her head. "Sergeant Merlot, I trust you'll be able to take things from here." With that, the Colonel turned on her heel and left. Once it seemed that she was a certain distance away, the soldiers that guarded them unlocked their restraints and followed, likely sensing A2's intent.

Merlot approached them, her eyes flecked with gold and her skin darker than the baggy jacket she wore. An antiquated headset hung around her neck. "A2, A4 and... Pascal. I look forward to working with you." A2 snorted at the obvious lie.

The soldier next to her frowned, her fingers untangling from the curls around her neck. "Four? Doesn't that mean death?" 

A4 shrugged. "I wouldn't jinx myself if I were you."

A2 might have snickered if she'd listened, but her attention was caught on the weapons that were slung around their shoulders: all guns.

Merlot walked over to a chest and kicked it open. "I don't know what you daylighters have seen of the machines but over here, they're vicious." Merlot threw something in her direction, and A2 reflexively held out a hand. It was her sword. "Try to keep up."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, another chapter done. | This chapter was last updated on February 28, 2018.


	11. Chapter 11

They were taken miles away from the fort, where contorted branches were trapped in ice, stretching fruitlessly toward sky. A cushion of mist covered the snow that soaked in A2's heels. She scoured for evidence of any insects or birds, but there was none. Her hand flexed around the hilt of her sword. The Country of Night was a barren place.

She came into step with Pascal. Her voice was low when she spoke. "We should go."

He nearly tripped midstride. "Now?"

"They're up to something." She stole a glance at the soldiers. Funny that, out of all of them, a machine would be her only ally. "I don't want to wait and see what it is."

"I understand that, but this is unknown territory for all of us," he countered. "It would be better to have an escort."

She blew a strand of hair from her face. Why did he have to make things so difficult? Pascal may have rejected her proposal to escape, but A2 turned her head slightly to keep tabs on the soldiers taking the rear.

Merlot raised a hand, bringing the squadron to halt. A small stubby wormed through the trees ahead.

"Syrah," Merlot commanded. "Get to higher ground."

The soldier nodded. The thick layer of kohl around her eyes contrasted against her tawny skin. A2 couldn't help but notice there was a mark on her neck, over where her voice box should be.

"Are there any others in the area?" Merlot asked, once Syrah settled among the branches.

"Just one."

"Perfect." Merlot looked at Pascal. "Well? Go work your magic."

"Just like that?" he said. "Am I supposed to walk up to them and introduce myself?"

"Are you expecting an invitation?" said Merlot, her tone cross. "Get going, before you lose your chance."

A2 punched Pascal lightly on the shoulder. It was better to start small. That was how they met. Pascal waited for the soldiers to hide before stepping forward.

"Hello there," he said, waving a hand. "You're a machine lifeform like me, aren't you? My name is Pascal. What's yours?"

The stubby stared at him. Its eyes burned yellow through the darkness, but it didn't attack.

"I don't bite." He inched closer. "I came to talk to you, actually. Do you have a village?"

A2 watched the exchange intently. If the machine became hostile, she had to jump in fast, before Pascal was destroyed. She recalled reading the Machine Research report Jackass had slipped into her inventory. The Forest Kingdom, the amusement park, his village—they were all experiments by N2. None of their human-like inclinations truly belonged to them. It was silly to think that Pascal would be able to bring any machine to their side. However, a part of her wanted to be proven wrong.

"Can you speak?" Pascal said. They were in arm's length of each other. "I'm, uh, guessing you can't."

A2 stiffened as the stubby raised its hand. Three digits were curled open in invitation. Pascal stared down at it. "You-you want to shake my hand?"

It nodded its head.

He held it, tentative at first. An audible breath left A2, and he laughed—

The ground shook beneath their feet. A2 swiveled her attention to Merlot. Her demeanor was cold, calculating as she observed them. "Ready your weapons."

"What are you doing?" A2 couldn't stop the rising note of panic that laced her words.

"Fire at my signal."

The color drained from her face as her eyes locked on Pascal. A shout wrestled itself from her throat. "Pascal, get down."

"Now."

Dirt exploded into the sky and the stubby snapped up, dragging Pascal along with it. The wisp of a string glinted above its head. Behind them, A2 could make out a row of metal-plated teeth.

"You have _got_ to be kidding me," she said.

She bounded towards Pascal. A4 and the soldiers were telling her to come back, but she kept running. Pascal gawked at the machine, seemingly oblivious to the danger he was in.

"Move your ass!"

Pascal snapped out of his daze, his eyes wide as they landed on A2. He squirmed and pulled at his arm, but to no avail. "I can't."

A2 leapt and with the flick of her wrist, she sliced off the stubby's hand. She dragged Pascal over to where the others were as the machine charged at them with a low growl, its bulky frame uprooting the trees around them. Bullets fired into the air, flying into the mouth of the machine, resulting in more debris tumbling down their backs.

Merlot placed her headset over her ears. "I'm calling in a retreat," she said. "The 'peace talks' have collapsed."

—

They returned to the fort in relative silence. The soldiers had known about the deceptive nature of the machine that attacked them, but they let Pascal go off alone, as if to serve as a lesson. Her eyes were as hard as stone when they led her to the same room where the Colonel interrogated her. It was for a debriefing, they said, but it was more likely for the Colonel to gloat.

The Colonel steepled her fingers. "I gather that your mission failed."

"You set us up for failure."

"How so?" She turned over her hand, appearing to examine it. "The other machines on this continent aren't much better. That was probably the most ideal situation we could give you."

A2 braced her hands on the table. "Do you think we're going to balk at a minor setback? We're not leaving until Pascal succeeds."

A superior smile was plastered on her face. It was all a joke to her. "Then you won't mind me assigning another mission."

A2 stormed out the room, slamming the door behind her. Pascal and A4 hurried to follow. The soldiers were still unused to their presence in the fort, throwing peculiar looks wherever they went.

"I'm sorry, A2," said Pascal to the back of her head.

"It wasn't your fault," she said curtly. "You tried."

He got quiet, and A2 tempered herself. "It was difficult at first," he said, "finding others that were like me. I thought that, maybe, it would be easier, now that the machine network's gone." The wistfulness that underlined his tone stopped A2 in her tracks. "I guess things aren't that simple."

"What are we going to do now?" A4 asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" A2 whirled on them. "We're staying."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finished making the preliminary outline today. | This chapter was last updated on April 22, 2018.


	12. Chapter 12

As much as A2 would have liked to brood all by her lonesome until the next mission, she decided to train with the soldiers instead.

Which, as she was coming to suspect, was a mistake.

She was face-to-face with Merlot inside the gym, her squadron surrounding them in a circle. There were mats on the floor and mirrors on the walls. Like the holding cells, the room had little light.

A2 stared her down, ignoring the whistles and jeers, before surging forward. Merlot, seemingly anticipating the move, crouched down and steered her away with a swift kick. A2 never stopped moving, switching between leaps into the air and dives into her opponent's guard. Wind gusted wherever they made contact.

A2 planted her feet, heat flushing through her body, her face tight with strain. Merlot did the same across from her.

"You're good," said Merlot. Her microbraids, bunched entirely into a flat circular bun atop her head, were askew. 

A2 slid to the ground, splaying a hand open to keep her balance. "It's not over yet." Merlot had her arms braced for an attack, but A2 ghosted through her, sweeping her leg out to knock her down.

A hush came over the crowd as A2 stood. Merlot blinked up at her, and A2 allowed her to see exactly how she felt about her little stunt back in the forest, her eyes flashing with a clear look of warning.

Merlot managed a smile. "Message received." She extended a hand. "Well? Are you going to help me up or what?"

Now it was her turn to blink. A2 looked down at her waiting hand, and pulled her to her feet. Perhaps she should have picked a fight with them sooner.

The crowd was about to disperse when A4 stepped forward. "I don't suppose you have room for one more?"

"What are you doing?" A2 said with a scowl.

She shrugged. "I have every right to train as much as you do."

A2 brushed past her. If this was A4's attempt at getting A2 to acknowledge her, she wouldn't nip the bait. "This is ridiculous."

"Don't tell me that you're afraid," A4 said, stopping A2 from leaving the gym entirely.

The soldiers nudged at each other. "Trouble in paradise?" she heard them say.

A2 turned back around. "You want to fight? Fine." In the bat of an eye, A2 was in front of her, aiming straight toward her gut. A4 dodged to the side and delivered a punch of her own. A2 grabbed her wrist as she came for her, runes born of the maso inside their black boxes flaring in the dimness of the room, and pulled her forward.

A2 stiffened, time gradually slowing as A4 drew close. Her mistake registered too late in her mind, her rigid posture slackening as she breathed in her scent. She smelled of copper, oil, and faraway places.

They crashed into each other, like two colliding particles, and A4 was suddenly on top of her. She had trapped her in place, her eyes bright and feverish. A2 stared, while a great and terrible emptiness festered in her chest. She wanted to glide her hands over her shoulders. She wanted to bring her arms about her neck. She wanted to pull the weight of her down until there was just silk and skin between them. She wanted...

She choked.

"Are you alright?" A4 stammered.

A2 brought her head hard against hers, and A4 rolled off, clutching the spot where she hit. The pain was nothing compared to watching the careful façade A2 built come crashing down. Her pulse was beating uncontrollably, and she knew she had to get away. She moved toward the door, a hand over her mouth, trying to her best to deny the thought that she wanted more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Grr, I didn't make the deadline I set for myself. Baby steps. | This chapter was last updated on March 9, 2018.


	13. Chapter 13

She stood on the edge of a cliff, looking out towards the clouds that flecked the horizon. Brittle stalks of grass arose from the parched earth, fanning in the breeze. There was something odd about where she was, like she had stepped inside a painting she'd seen in the ruins.

"Amazing, isn't it?" A white-haired boy was standing beside her, his voice crisp compared to their muted surroundings. "I can't imagine what the real thing must be like."

"What do you mean?" she asked. The water beat mercilessly at the jagged rocks below the cliff. The glare of an invisible sun scattered across the waves.

A2 looked at him again, and saw he secured a blindfold around his head. He seemed more familiar, but there was a slight change in his features. "It's data from the old world, but it's..."

He toyed with the green sash around his shoulder. "It's suicide," he finished. "You can't be here." A semblance of a smile touched his face. The air contracted, leeching the color from around his profile.

She shook her head vehemently. "That doesn't make sense." She caught his hand—soft and not calloused like her own—and everything grew still. Her gaze was steady on his face, demanding a clear answer. Although his eyes were obscured, she knew he was looking back, as though he were searching for something in her as well.

His lips were tight at the corners. "I... I don't know what to do."

He slipped from her grasp. An unseen force tilted her over the edge, her hair torn loose about her face. Her hands flew up, reaching out for the boy, as the sea hurtled towards her.

—

A2 bolted upright. It was a while before she realized that she was nestled safely in the barracks of the fort. She felt for her chest, trying to calm her panicked breaths, while Merlot's squadron was sound asleep.

She turned her head to the side, her eyes widening when she saw A4.

Her hand hung in the air, like she had been about to reach for her. "You're awake," A4 said.

A2 scowled. "So? What's it to you?"

She faltered. "Nothing. I..." Her eyes drifted away from her. "I just wanted to talk to you."

A2 shifted her back to A4. "No thanks."

"Hold on a moment," she said, a bit too loudly. When A2 glanced back, she saw a faint blush on her cheeks. "I know you've been wanting to keep your distance from me. I should respect that, but there's something that I want to know."

A2 pinched the bridge of her nose, a silent debate passing back and forth in her head. "You have five minutes."

A4 beamed and motioned for her to come outside. A2 dragged herself out of bed, bringing a hand above her eyes to protect herself from the crack of light. A4 led her to the side of the building, away from the soldiers that patrolled the fort.

A2 leaned against the wall, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "What do you want?"

She bit her lip. "It's about Number 4." A2 turned to leave, but A4 cut in front of her, spreading her arms wide. "Wait," she said. "Don't go. I understand it must be painful for you. I hear you muttering her name in your sleep sometimes." She dropped her hands. "But I have to know, what was she like?"

It was a surprisingly mundane question. A2 crossed her arms. "She was excellent in close-quarter combat. Her personality worked as a morale booster for our squadron. It also allowed for easier relations with the Resistance. She felt deeply for our cause."

A4 frowned. "Not in that way. I meant," she shrugged, "what was she like?"

A2 looked past her, unseeing. "She was bright," she decided. "Cheerful. Loyal. She was... a friend."

"What happened to her?"

A2 held her arms but let go when she realized the vulnerability they disclosed. Her voice was hard when she said, "She died so that I could have a chance to live."

A4 bowed her head. "I see."

A2 sighed, suddenly feeling very tired. "Why do you ask?"

"I look like her, don't I?" she said. When A2 opened her mouth, A4 interrupted with, "Don't try to deny it. If I... did something, if I ruined her memory in some way, I'm sorry."

A2 straightened. Although she still believed that her suspicions were justified, it was possible she may have been taking out her frustrations on A4. "Look," she said, "I won't apologize what I've done, but you're actually... decent. Funny."

"Funny?" She flashed her a dizzying smile. "A2 actually thinks I'm funny?"

"Let's not get carried away."

A4 teetered around the corner. "I have to tell Pascal," was all she said before leaving A2 to shake her head after her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to get an idea out of my system. | This chapter was last updated on March 14, 2018.


	14. Chapter 14

Although A2 would never admit it, she was growing accustomed to working with Merlot and her squadron. After their spat at the gym, there were hardly any lingering eyes or snide whispers. Out in the field, a few even protected them. It was a strange feeling, having someone at her back again.

Still, they haven't made any progress with the machines. It was becoming more apparent that the Colonel was more concerned with sending them to flush out any enemies in the surrounding area than presenting them with opportunities to accomplish their goal. A2 hated the idea that she was being used as another tool at someone else's disposal.

Every day was one failed mission after another. Nothing could break the monotony of their routine, until A2 saw the Colonel waiting for them at the entrance of the fort. Merlot and Syrah had been joking around when they noticed her as well. A mask of seriousness slipped over their faces, their backs ramrod straight.

A2 refused to offer the same respect. "Look who it is," she said. "Have you come to laugh at another one of our failures?"

"As enjoyable as you make it sound," the Colonel drawled, "I'm here to inform you that someone is coming to visit. Don't give me any trouble."

A2 arched a brow. Rarely did the Colonel deign to see them in person as of late. Whoever it was must be important. "Likewise."

With that, the Colonel turned on her heel and left. The soldiers around them exhaled, relaxing their shoulders.

"What's with you all?" A2 asked.

"She's our boss," Merlot replied. "You may have made your opinion about her well known, but the rest of us owe her our loyalty."

A2 scoffed. "Whatever."

—

The soldiers had gathered at the center of the fort, their heads upturned towards the sky. A2, A4, and Pascal watched from the sidelines. The moon was a perfect ball of white, and though she knew now that there was no one there, it added to her already frayed nerves.

A fiery blaze started above them, signalling the arrival of a flight unit. It landed inside the clearing the soldiers provided, bellowing clouds of ice into the air, and an android stepped out. Her dark hair was cut short at the nape, a scar slashed across the bridge of her nose.

The Colonel bowed in greeting. "Gray."

Gray swept her gaze over the soldiers before acknowledging her. "Blue," she said. "Sorry, I remember you go by Rye now."

If the Colonel was bothered by the slip-up, she didn't show it. "What brings you to the fort? Your missive was rather vague."

"I hear that you have stumbled across something interesting, a breakthrough of sorts."

The Colonel looked at her evenly. "That, I have."

"I would like to see it."

There was a change in the air, although A2 couldn't figure out what it was. "Come then," the Colonel said. Once she ushered her into the main building, the soldiers dispersed.

"What was that about?" A4 asked, as soon as Merlot and Syrah returned. A2 had quickly come to learn that the two were always together. "Who was that?"

"Gray?" Merlot said. "She was recently made an overseer up on an orbital base. I forgot which one."

A2 looked up to the sky, as if she could see the satellites that came around the Earth. "I thought those types preferred to stay where they were assigned." Always making the tough decisions, but never experiencing the brunt of them for themselves.

"What's this about the Colonel being called Blue?"

Merlot became rigid, and Syrah's hand went for hers. The atmosphere was a lot more agreeable, but Pascal still needed some getting used to. "I'm not sure," said Merlot. "We don't know much about her past before we were assigned here, but there have been plenty of rumors."

Syrah signed something close to her chest. "The most popular one is that she and the Colonel were part of a squadron formed some time during the very first descent operations."

"Old ties would explain the tension between them, I guess," A2 said, her eyes flitting to the main building. "I wonder what that breakthrough was about."

"Maybe it's because of us," A4 said.

"Don't flatter yourself." _All we've been doing is losing._

A smile graced her lips. "You're right. You've already been doing a fine job of flattering me. Remember when you said I was funny?"

Her cheeks flamed. "I didn't-I didn't say that."

"Are you sulking?"

"I don't sulk."

"Really?" A4 said, as the others giggled at their exchange. "When you've spent this entire time being all moody?"

A2 threw up her hands. "I'm sorry, this was a mistake. Actually, my whole life has been." She turned, intending to retreat into the barracks, when a siren reverberated throughout the fort, each successive wave building up on one another, before crashing into silence.

"What was that?" she exclaimed, her hands still clamped over her ears.

Merlot and Syrah looked at each other, but her question was answered instead by the loudspeaker.

The machines were about to overrun the fort.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, no more excuses. We're more than halfway there. The Colonel had to have had at least three changes to her name and appearance. | This chapter was last updated on March 12, 2018.


	15. Chapter 15

A2 scrambled up the walls that surrounded the fort, A4 and Pascal behind her. Her eyes scoured the wintry field, and her hands clenched tight as she saw the mass of uniformed bodies moving along the darkness. The dirt trembled beneath their feet, like the rumble of an approaching storm.

"Is it too much to hope that they're here to reconsider the peace treaty?" Pascal said.

"Maybe they're finally fed up with all the times we came to visit," A4 quipped.

The soldiers were gathering back into groups, while rockets flew overhead to keep the machines at bay. Merlot was standing huddled with a few other squadron leaders, firing commands at a rapid pace. A2 jumped off the ledge to join them, reaching for her sword, but she skidded to a halt when Merlot slid in front of her.

"Stay here," Merlot said.

"Excuse me?"

"YoRHa has equipped you and your friend with the most advanced technology in the fort," she said. "If the machines break the barrier, our best units need to be waiting for them."

A2 leaned forward. "Send us out now, and the machines won't be breaking any barriers."

A4 and Pascal came down to join them. Merlot's eyes seemed to shift in hesitation, but her expression was unwavering when she said, "I'm sorry, A2, but it doesn't work that way. These are your orders."

Anger knotted in her chest. She was about to argue that she wasn't apart of their army, so she could do whatever the hell she wanted, but in a rare display of self-restraint, A2 held back.

The set of Merlot's mouth softened. "Thank you," she said before running over to her squadron.

A2 kept still as the soldiers pushed through gates. Gunfire sounded from the trenches lining the front of the fort. Plumes of fire flashed outwards into existence. Bodies, of the wounded and the dead, were strewn across the red-stained snow.

She closed her eyes, her fingers squeezing around the hilt of her sword, as shrapnel grazed her cheeks. "I can't do this."

A4 went tense with alarm. "A2?" She started towards her. "What are you—wait!"

Her sword came effortlessly from its confinement. She was running, rockets firing shell for shell, bodies falling one after another.

A deafening roar briefly startled her out of her resolve. There was something shimmering above her, weaving in the space between stars. It swooped down on the machines, silver wings casting enormous shadows over the landscape. A2 was looking at the sky in breathless awe.

Her breath was sharp in her throat when she felt a hand clamped over her shoulder, furiously whipping her around. A4's eyes were fixed on her. "Are you crazy? Do you not see how dangerous it is to be out here?"

A2 wrenched out of her grasp. "As if that's anything new."

"This isn't like any of the encounters we had before. Why can't you see that?" Her voice rose above the clash. "No, of course not, because you would rather run off than listen to what anyone has to say."

A2 huffed. "This isn't the time for this."

A4 clutched her shoulders again. "Why are you so intent on being a martyr? Has being a loner gotten to your head?"

Rings of gold writhed and circled around the creature. A figure was riding on its back, wrestling for control, until she was struck by a projectile. They were descending into the forest, a column of smoke billowing in their wake.

"I'm not done with you," A4 shouted as A2 went after them.

She hacked through the tangle of branches until she saw the creature lying on its side. The Colonel clawed out from under its weight, her left arm missing from her socket.

A2 knelt at her side, feeling decidedly unsympathetic. "Tell me what's going on."

The Colonel cocked her head towards the creature. Her collar had been partially torn open. A2 could barely make out the letters "DKT" on her neck. "Finish this."

A2 knitted her brows. "Finish what?"

The Colonel snatched her wrist with surprising strength. "Finish this," she ground out. "Or so help me..."

A2 glared back at her. "You still haven't explained jack—fuck."

The Colonel had gone limp.

A2 propped her against a tree, trying her best to disguise her among the wreckage. If she was going to do this, she couldn't very well be carrying around dead weight. She hopped over the creature's plated back, her heels digging into its scales. Almost immediately, she could sense the power thrummed from every limb, every fiber. Pain swelled from wherever they touched. She felt something stir inside her circuits, as though it were trying to form a connection.

Then the creature exploded into motion.

A2 held fast to the reins, blisters rubbing between her fingers. She reminded herself to focus, shifting her weight into a more comfortable position, and eyed the battle from above. "I don't know what you are," she said, "but let's give them hell."

The crack of its wings split the air, and they dived into fray, talons raking across the hulls of the machines. Her nostrils flared at the acrid smell of cinder and ash. A perverse sort of pleasure filled her as they advanced. A2 had the widest of smiles before the pain became too much, the creature pitched forward, and the world went black.

—

"You are so stupid. You are so incredibly stupid."

A2 forced open an eye. A4 was looking down at her in numb disbelief, her arms encircled around her back. The coiffure of her hair had come undone, little black tresses stuck to the sides of her face.

A2 reached up to brush the back of her knuckles along the line of her jaw. She was burning, her pulse beating against her hand like mad. "Did we win?" she said weakly.

"Are you really asking me that right now?" A4 shook her head. "You've really lost it, haven't you?" She choked a laugh. "Yes, we won. The machines retreated."

A2 wrapped her fingers around the front of A4's dress and brought her down, kissing her savagely. She heard a small cry come from her own throat, and wondered if A4 heard it, too. She couldn't understand what was happening, why she didn't push her away, but at the same time, she couldn't release her. A2 slanted her lips, her tongue hot and demanding, deepening the kiss.

It was A4 who broke them apart. Her lips were swollen, and her eyes were thick with desire. A2 opened her mouth to say something—what, she wasn't sure—but A4 pressed a finger there to stop her. In the end, A2 decided to reach for her hand, and they sat together in silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe that the outline for this story has just been sitting on my computer for almost three months. I really wish writing were all ideas and snippets. | This chapter was last updated on March 14, 2018.


	16. Chapter 16

A2 and the Colonel walked alongside each other, the hallways of the main building echoing with their footsteps.

"Nice place you've got here," A2 said. "Very... secluded."

The Colonel took a slow draw from her pipe. "You're not trying to imply anything, are you?" A mismatched arm had been screwed into her damaged socket. Even with the help of the Resistance, supplies were short.

"Not at all," A2 said. "I'm sure you have had nothing but good intentions since you suddenly invited me, alone, on a tour."

The Colonel rolled her eyes heavenward. "You wanted answers. I'm accommodating you."

A2 smirked. "I'll believe it when I hear it."

The Colonel stared at her, and an uneasy feeling crawled over A2. "A long time ago," the Colonel said, "I was apart of something called the Dragon Knights. We had our own tactical support system, in the form of beasts reconstructed from the one in Shinjuku. However, it was imperfect. They would often disobey their masters, despite the safeguards that were implanted in their systems. Eventually, the project was shut down, and we were all assigned to different stations." Her expression seemed to darken at some memory. "I was put in charge of Fort Verne."

"Are you trying to say that was a _dragon?_ " A2 exclaimed. "How was I able to use it?"

"As close as the researchers could make it," she answered. "Given its volatile nature, not to mention our obviously limited quantity, it's only activated when the fort is under immense threat. After being incapacitated by the machines, I attempted to use the link to transfer over control to you."

"And it actually worked?"

"I've heard that the designs of the YoRHa units, especially those of your generation, allow more room for adaptability."

The hair at the back of A2's neck rose on end. The Colonel had looked into her, and why wouldn't she? She must have requested the information as soon as she discerned A2's identity.

"The machines," A2 asked, "why did they decide to attack?"

The Colonel looked straight ahead. A heavy-plated door was built into the end of the hall, with guards standing on either side. The Colonel inputted her clearance code, and the door opened.

The dragon was sprawled on the floor, its eyes dim. Repairs were being conducted over its slumped form. On the ceiling were two sliding panels, which presumably gave it access outside.

"Not only do we make up the line of defense on the west coast," the Colonel explained. "We are also one of the few remaining research facilities on Earth. A colleague wanted to evaluate what we've accomplished."

The Colonel led her to a large tank. Fragments of light swirled and pressed against their confinement. Her eyes strayed beyond the glass, resting on the piles of scrap being scavenged for parts.

A chill seized her. "You've been kidnapping the machines. You've been robbing them of their essence. That's why they've been so hostile toward us." A2 staggered away from the Colonel, her mind reeling.

"They've _always_ been hostile," the Colonel insisted.

A2 shook her head. "This is wrong." She recalled everything 9S and 2B said about the moon base. After all the atrocities their kind committed, they haven't stopped experimenting on maso.

Her hand went to her sword. The guards left their post and swarmed in an arc around her. The Colonel held up a hand, stopping them.

"There is a reason I told you this, A2," the Colonel said. "As soon as you and your friends were brought to me, I saw a valuable asset. The more I tested you, the more I was sure of it. It's all very noble to be advocating for peace with a machine, but you know what it was like before. Another war will come, and this time we'll lose."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year! Let me try to get in three more chapters before the spring semester starts. | This chapter was last updated on February 24, 2018.


	17. Chapter 17

A2 dragged her feet behind Merlot's squadron, still unnerved by what she saw in the basement. Around her, the skies were clear and the woods were quiet.

She studiously avoided looking at the rest of them, hoping they wouldn't catch her troubled thoughts. If her behavior became suspect, would Merlot report that to the Colonel? How much did she share with her? Despite how friendly they acted around each other, she had to be following orders. It appeared that even on the other side of the world, no one could escape Command's influence.

A2 frowned. She should really stop calling them that. "Command" as the YoRHa units had always known never really existed. But what other alternative was there? 9S had said something before, about an organization that preceded the Army of Humanity. The Human Heritage Reclamation Management Organization? But somehow, that didn't seem—

Merlot snapped her fingers in front of A2's face. "Have you been listening at all?"

"Sorry," she said. "What are we doing again?"

Merlot made a sound under her breath. "A4 is a YoRHa unit. As such, she needs a proper weapon. After the attack on the fort, we should be better prepared. There's a shop that comes along here every once in a while, somewhere along this path, so everyone should be on the lookout."

It was then when a voice suddenly announced, "Hello, hello."

A2 wheeled around and almost jumped when a wide-eyed, spectacle-wearing woman dipping far too close into her personal space, her long black twintails fluttering behind her. "You haven't been searching for me, by any chance?" the stranger asked. She bobbed into a curtsy, a gloved hand holding her ridiculously large suitcase at her side. "My name is Accord, the proud owner of—you guessed it—Accord's. Welcome to my shop! Whichever location you visit, it's sure to be stocked with a unique selection of items guaranteed to satisfy your needs. How may I help you today?"

A2 thought someone, out of nearly a dozen androids, would have spoken up, but all of them had apparently been stunned speechless.

Accord nodded. "I understand. You're overwhelmed by the unlimited options you have before you. Which one will lead you down the path of most success? Well, look no further!"

She skipped further down the path, and they followed her into a tiny wooden shack. There were maces, crossbows, daggers, whips, and other means of deadly weaponry covering the walls. Accord was bent over a crate by the counter, combing through a dicey-looking stack of knives. "Do you have an idea of what you want?"

Merlot nudged A4 to answer. "Not particularly," A4 said, running a finger along the edge of a jeweled scythe.

Accord looked over her shoulder. "Hmm, you don't seem to be from this region. Maybe something from the backroom would suit you best." She skirted around the counter, disappeared behind the door, and returned with a gleaming pile in her arms.

After carefully placing them on counter, she retrieved an axe and gave it a few spins for show. "Here we have the Executioner's Song. A double-sided blade promises each swing is never wasted, dealing powerful but graceful blows to your enemies wherever they may be. It's severed the heads of more than a thousand victims, knowing neither innocence nor guilt."

She handed it over to A4 before reaching for a spear. "Then we have the Imperial Tears. Don't let its rusted appearance fool you. It's nothing more than a sign of its colorful history. A young lord buried it in the heart of a forgotten land, where it fought for over a millennia. I highly recommend this one, and not because spears happen to be my personal favorite."

Accord continued to enthusiastically walk them through the pile, while A4 tested each and every one. Likely sensing her growing disinterest, Accord suggested, "Maybe swords are more up your alley?" She picked up the hilt of a long sword and made a stabbing motion in the air. "Moonfire is a fine, well-balanced sword infused with a blacksmith's blazing soul. It yearns for an owner who thirsts for blood, who pines for battle, and who hungers for war."

A4's eyebrows rose to her hairline as Accord threw herself into the performance. A2 was having trouble suppressing a grin.

"Last but not least," Accord said, "there's Writheheart, a rather twisted blade. Within lies the hate of the woman who used it to slay herself and the lover who betrayed her, or so the rumors say." She threw a dubious look at the weapon, dropping her act. "Wait, that might have actually come from the weapon story I'm working on."

While A2 waited for them to finish, she began to wander around the shop. A violin sat in a stand among the harsh steel and sharp edges, catching her off-guard. Number 4 had shown one to her once, while they were digging through the ruins for a mission, claiming to have played it in her false memories. Her eyes darting, A2 picked it up and examined it. _How hard can it be?_ she thought. She placed it clumsily over her shoulder, raising its bow over the strings, and—

"I wouldn't do that here if I were you," said Accord, causing A2 to fumble with the violin. "The Violin of Justice, one of the newer additions to my collection."

"It's a weapon?" A2 inquired.

Accord returned it to the stand. "I wouldn't have it in my shop if it wasn't." A2 saw her attention shift to her sword. "That's a Type-40," she said. "What's it about?"

A2 crossed her arms. "Don't know, don't care."

Accord wriggled her fingers. "Then let me have a look." Before A2 could protest, Accord had already swiped it from its sheath. "Oh," she squeaked. "I can't believe it."

A2 lunged for her, but Accord easily stepped out of her way.

"How naughty of them."

A2 spun, her hands meeting air when she heard Accord speaking behind her.

"Well, I suppose I've already been made aware of that," she said, tossing the sword back.

A2 balled a fist around the hilt, her face crumpled with rage. She was about to tell her off when Accord went up to her and said, "You've come from a long way. I see an island on the sea. Blood on the mermaid's feet. After flowers come the wheat." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "You know, I travel the world for weapon stories, but I think I may have found the best yet."

A2 swallowed, shivers running up and down her spine. She decided that she didn't like this Accord, whose smile was too serene and whose eyes seemed to know too much. Not a moment later, she heard someone calling her name, and she felt an arm come around her elbow.

"I found a weapon," A4 said. "It's time to go."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credits to the Drakenpedia for the weapon stories of [Executioner's Song](http://drakengard.wikia.com/wiki/Executioner%27s_Song), [Imperial Tears](http://drakengard.wikia.com/wiki/Imperial_Tears), [Moonfire](http://drakengard.wikia.com/wiki/Moonfire), and [Writheheart](http://drakengard.wikia.com/wiki/Writheheart). Warusou from [The Worst Tale](http://sinoalice.moe/) also deserves a mention for making the information on SINoALICE more widely available. | This chapter was last updated on March 14, 2018.


	18. Chapter 18

"I don't really understand the point of this," A2 said.

Syrah fumbled around the opening of the bottle, and the cork flew with an audible pop. "We're having fun," she insisted. "You should try it sometime."

A2's eyes were reproachful as she looked at them. "Shouldn't we be resting? We're still going out tomorrow, aren't we? The machines could decide to attack us again at any moment."

"This is considered resting," Merlot said firmly. "At least as far as I'm concerned. If none of us are allowed to have a little celebration every now and then, especially in the wake of a huge battle, we'd all go mad." She reached over to have her glass filled by Syrah. "I hardly think the machines will return so soon after being defeated, anyhow."

"Care for a sip?" Syrah lifted the bottle. "We have our own brand of liquor here." She leaned in to impart a conspiratorial movement of her fingers. "It's imported." She waved it enticingly in front of A2, who only shook her head and leaned back into the mattress.

She wondered what would happen if the Colonel were to step inside the barracks now, where she would find a squadron of her highly-trained soldiers prancing around in varying states of intoxication. They had even gotten Pascal to down a glass or two. Evidently, no one was safe from the inhibiting properties of alcohol. Including androids. Is this what humanity intended for them?

A2 stared at her hands. While she did want to join them, she had to think about whether she wanted to help their cause, or stop them collecting more maso. The latter would put her at odds with Merlot's squadron. Could she really cut herself and Pascal off from them? They were the only allies they had.

She sighed. There was something else that was unresolved. At one point, she was going to have to sit down with A4 about what happened between them.

She stood from the bed. "Have you seen A4?" she asked, looking around. "I need to talk to her."

Merlot casually lifted a shoulder. "How should I know?" She hiccuped. "Isn't she your lover or whatever? Maybe she's outside."

A2 flinched as Syrah patted her on the back. "If you two were going to have an illicit tryst, you should have been more sneaky about it."

A2 stammered to form some kind of response, her face hot with embarrassment. When none came, she made a frustrated noise and stomped for the door. She could still hear them snickering as it shut behind her with a definitive click. Making enemies out them might not be so bad if it meant minding their own damn business.

She slapped a hand to her head when she was bombarded by a rush of images. Instead of the past, she saw A4. Her nerves seared where she touched. She turned towards the wind, welcoming the frost biting her cheeks. She had to stop thinking about that kiss.

She dropped her hand and stalked through the barracks. She had to make her intentions clear. It was done in the heat of the moment. She couldn't think of A4 in that way, not when she still couldn't trust her, not when she still reminded her of Number 4.

A2 became motionless when she saw someone up ahead, her eyes slitting as she recognized A4. She thought about calling out to her, but was quick to change her mind when A4 ducked into the shadows. A2 did the same. Watching.

A crash came from around the corner of the main building, sending the guards to investigate and A4 slinking inside.

Twenty feet separated A2 from the door. She only needed to close the distance, but she was kept in place by an unforeseen force. _Don't go,_ she thought. _Don't ruin this._

Although A2 knew tracking her might just destroy whatever was between them, she pried herself from her hiding spot and darted for the main building. Her pulse beat erratically in her ears. A2 couldn't see her, yet she kept following the pull she felt, leading her down familiar floors, familiar corridors.

A puddle splashed at her feet. She looked down at her reflection, and met glassy eyes that were not her own.

The guards were dead.

Her tongue was leaden in her mouth. She hastened into the room, the truth hitting her with a sick drop in her stomach, and drew short when she saw A4.

"I've been searching this place," A4 began, her eyes steady on the container of maso. "On the day the Colonel took you here, I followed you." She had a faint smile. "I guess now you followed me."

A2 was stoic. "First impressions are hard to shake."

A4 turned her head. The blue of her eyes had deepened into a color as dark as wine. Inexplicable humiliation burned at the sight. "I was supposed to infiltrate your ship, eliminate the crew members, and make contact with the fort."

A2 squared her shoulders. "Why didn't you contaminate the fort with the logic virus in the first place?"

"Haven't you seen what the logic virus does?" A4 said. "As soon as it's activated, it destroys everything. Other than needing a day or two to plant the seeds of contamination, I needed information." She laughed. "It's not like I could sit down for an interview with the infected."

A2 made a look of disgust. "Clearly, you have some degree of control."

A number of expressions flitted across her face. "I'm sorry we had to meet like this." Her gaze returned to the container. "There were pieces of me were on that island. The Red Girls decided to repurpose me. I don't know what they did exactly, or how long I was kept by them, but I woke up… different."

"N2 is gone," A2 said, her voice hollow.

A4 tapped the side of her head. "I still have my orders. Even if they've been compromised, I can't disobey them. Besides, they're not the only ones up the chain of command. Don't you remember? We live to die. That is our fate."

A2 was shaking. As much as she wanted to deny everything she'd heard, A4 had to be stopped.

A2's hand braceleted her sword. But before she could even blink, A4 swung around and threw something in her direction. Pain, like nothing she ever experienced, held her to the wall. Her chest labored for breath, further embedding the blade between her ribs.

"The Spear of Cycles," A4 said while walking towards her. "Our type is better with a sword, but it seemed so very appropriate, don't you think? No matter where we go, no matter how many times we're resurrected, we're always caught in the same pattern."

A2 spat the fluid dribbling from her lips. "I'm getting real sick of everyone trying to tell me poetic bullshit." Her hands grappled around the spear. She could feel every slip of her fingers, every slice made into her skin.

A4 came sharply back into focus. "You're right," she said, tracing the shape of A2's face. "I keep forgetting how much you've been suffering." Her vision spotted black at the edges. "Promise me you'll have a well-deserved rest."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted one scene of the androids getting drunk, and I have it. | This chapter was last updated on March 9, 2018.


	19. Chapter 19

A2 lay shivering on the ground, watching as the sky came together in pieces. Snow sheeted down the torn sections of the ceiling. She turned her head slightly to see that the maso was gone, a puddle of glass left in its wake. Her fingers drifted carefully to her wound, feeling a hardened substance where the spear had been. Staunching gel.

She cradled her waist and sat up, the cold clinging to her skin. Her limbs move, slowly, one after the other. She had her eyes trained in front of her, but not really. It didn't quite register that she was there at all.

A sound ripped through the stillness. She limped towards it and paused at a door leading to the outside, her breath short. Unblinking red eyes leered at her from familiar faces. A4 had gotten what she came for, while the sting of betrayal still burned at the back of A2's throat.

She rushed toward them, her fingers curling into a fist. An audible crack reached her ears as it made contact. She didn't care about getting her sword. She didn't care if any of the androids were actually infected. Right now, there was something consuming her, demanding to be released.

She drew her hand back and slammed again. They charged at her, their mouths opening wide with mindless screeching. She flipped over to avoid them and swept her leg out from the side, shattering a skull.

There was always someone else in control. No matter where she ran, no matter how many ties she cut, she could never let it be her.

Blackness gaped where there should have been rational thought. She basked in a shower of alloys and innards, bloodlust taking over with Berserk. A fistful of hair caught between her fingers, and she wrenched it back. Recognition ate away at her, but it wasn't enough for her to stop.

In the midst of the slaughter, the wall of a nearby barrack crumbled. The Colonel flew out, her back creating a depression in the snow. The infected poured in after her,  smothering her. By the time A2 could throw them off, the Colonel had been reduced to nothing but a constellation of broken parts. A2 looked away, the wind throwing her hair around aimlessly.

When it was over, she started back toward the main building. It would be a cold day in hell before she let herself blackout again. Just as she reached for the door, she heard footsteps shuffling behind her. She swiveled around, tensed for another fight.

"A2?" Pascal said. It took her a moment to realize the fear on his face was because of her.

Her fists dropped to her sides. The stains on her itched. "I'm sorry."

Her eyes went round as more footsteps approached. Merlot and Syrah were bounding towards them, practically jumping to hold them both in an embrace. A2 stiffened.

"You're alive," Syrah signed fervently.

"You're not infected?" A2 said.

"Not all of us," Merlot said. "It was the logic virus, wasn't it? Where did it come from? How was it able to spread so fast?"

A2 shut her eyes and took a steadying breath. "It was A4."

Syrah raised a weak hand. "Oh."

Pascal shook his head, his eyes remorseful. "I'm sorry for not listening. You were right about her."

"What do we do now?" Syrah asked.

A2 didn't hesitate to say, "I'm going after her."

Pascal seemed to clock out.

Syrah looked like she wanted to throttle her. "The hell you are."

"If you're saying she has power over the logic virus, do you know how dangerous it would be to follow her?" Merlot said. "The flight units are damaged. Half of the androids in this fort are dead. We're lucky to have even survived." She shook her head. "It's not worth it. Not for revenge."

"I'm not asking you to come with me," A2 said. "And I never said it was for revenge."

Merlot massaged her temples, while Syrah seemed to gesture something to her. "Alright," Merlot said, resigned. "How are we going to find her?"

A2 looked up to see a fluttering of wings above them. "Call it a feeling."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An earlier version of this chapter can be found in [the Wayback Machine](https://web.archive.org/web/20180213061005/http://archiveofourown.org/works/10907835/chapters/31011420). | This chapter was last updated on March 10, 2018.


	20. Chapter 20

A2 worked ceaselessly on the reins to keep the dragon flying straight. The waves under them tumbled over each other with the light that peaked above the horizon. Merlot and Syrah clung to the dragon's back behind her, while Pascal was held precariously from the talons.

"You didn't say you had a pet," Merlot said over the wind.

"It's not a pet." A2's eyes never strayed from the dove flying ahead of them. "It can do what it wants."

"That's nice," Syrah chipped, "but how can we trust it to know where it's going?"

"It's the one lead we have." They had found a set of footprints before it could be buried with the snow, but it only led as far as the sea. A2 hoped the dove would bring her back to A4, just as it had on the ship.

A green speck loomed in the distance. As it drew closer, A2 started to notice the slivers of steel that cut through the island like the lines on patchwork. There were miles of forest sitting on an artificial mass, right in the Pacific. It couldn't possibly be Atlantis, could it? She heard about it even after she escaped from under YoRHa's thumb.

A2 aimed for a narrow opening between the trees and held fast as the dragon skidded against the dirt, sending them all into a fit of coughs. They quickly went about securing their only means of escape, burying the dragon under a pile of leaves, and traveled deeper into the island.

Her eyes danced around forest, looking for signs they were being watched. Occasionally, they would come across a crumbling control tower and the shell of centipede-like machine, partially buried in the ground. The swell of anxiety built inside her, forcing her to make longer and longer strides, until she was possessed by the thought of reaching A4.

Merlot snagged her arm.

"What?" A2 hissed.

Merlot made a quiet sound with her lips.

"Are you shushing me?"

Merlot scowled and pointed at a bush. It rustled ever so slightly in front of them. A2 spun her weapon from her back. Her breath held as a disembodied head popped out. "Round thing," A2 said, putting back her sword. "Why am I not surprised?"

Merlot, Syrah, and Pascal looked at her in puzzlement.

"Oh, hi… you." Emil craned his head to look at her. Six triangular pieces were attached evenly to the underside of his body, allowing him to crawl around like a spider. "I'm sorry, have we met?"

Her chest tightened. "You could say that," A2 said, realizing he was just another copy. "What are you doing here?"

He seemed to mull it over. "What _am_ I doing here?" he said aloud. "Hm, I remember that I'm supposed to be watching something. I think it was… important?"

"Can you take us there?" A2 asked. "Maybe what you're watching is what we're looking for."

"I guess I could try to retrace my steps." He scuttled back into the bush.

Merlot shot her a questioning glance.

A2 shrugged before moving to follow him. They walked for hours through the tall trees and pointed grass. At one point, it appeared as though they were walking in circles.

Syrah plodded behind them, bleary-eyed. "I can't take any more of this."

"We're almost there," Emil said, adamant. "I know it."

Merlot glared at A2. "I don't care if you know him. If we fall into a ditch one more fucking time—"

"This is it," Emil exclaimed.

A2 caught up to him and felt herself root to the spot. It was a kingdom of machines, cradled in a roofless cavern. Buildings were piled on top of each other in a desperate imitation of human cities. At the very center, high above all, was a closed bud of a flower.

"I've heard them call it 'the Mermaid'," Emil said next to A2, pulling her out of her stupor.

"It's a terminal," A2 said, her voice grim. The original Emil had made it his purpose to fight against the aliens, which must have drawn one of his copies here.

"What's that?" Pascal asked.

"Nothing good." She patted Emil's head. "Thanks, kid." She nodded to the rest of them. "Let's go."

"Hold on," Merlot said. "We can't just barge in there without a plan."

Syrah nodded at her gun. "Some of us could lure the machines away, while the others go inside and look for A4."

"But will it be enough?" Merlot suggested.

"If you need a distraction," Emil interjected. "I think there's something happening tomorrow. I don't know what exactly, but the machines I've come across have been acting weird, now more than ever."

A2 stared hard at the flower. "Fine," she said. "We'll wait."

—

They scouted the area for the rest of the day, marking the best places to attack, before deciding to rest in a cave. Merlot and Syrah were fast asleep, while Emil snored in-between them. A2, still simmering with frustration, kept a watchful eye on the flower. Eventually, she sat down next to Pascal, who was staring at a corpse.

She sighed. "What's on your mind?"

"Nothing, really," he said in a distant voice. When A2 didn't leave, he released a shuddering breath. "No, there has been something that's been bothering me. When I first woke up, I was drawn to the abandoned village in the forest. It didn't make sense. There were bodies everywhere." He looked down at his lap. "But it felt like home. I pushed aside my doubts and continued to live as though nothing were amiss. Were those machine parts I've been selling..."

He cut himself off, but A2 understood the question he wouldn't let himself ask. She wouldn't lie. "Yes."

"I see." He wrung his hands. "I've been a burden to you."

A2 leaned into him. "I hate it when people talk like that. If you really want to make up for it, don't apologize."

Pascal didn't say anything more after that. He only held her shoulder, while A2 drifted off into a dream.

There was Rose, holding a cup to a toast. Marguerite, looking up adoringly from her side. Anemone, making a face in the corner. Dahlia, Lily, Gerbera, Number 16, Number 21—just as she remembered them.

Although A2 couldn't pretend to be who she once was, she allowed herself to indulge in it. They were gathered around a fire, playing a game to pass the time. Laughter rang like bells in her ears.

Then it stopped.

"You're on the island, aren't you?"

A2 turned.

A4 was sitting beside her. Her hair was white, her clothes were black, and her visor was crooked on her head. "Why," she asked, "after everything I did?"

She was right. It was stupid, arrogant, and selfish of A2 to come looking for her. She had slaughtered the soldiers in the fort. She had stolen the maso they kept hidden underground. She had betrayed them for the machines.

But A2 couldn't forget the staunching gel she saw on her wound. She couldn't forget how many of them remained uninfected. She couldn't forget the words they exchanged in the lab. A4 had tried to spare them, as best as she could.

"Because I'm an idiot," A2 said simply.

A smile pulled at the corners of A4's mouth. The scenery around them began to dissolve, shadows falling down around A2, until she was the last one there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two more chapters! I still want to fix a lot of things when I have the time, but I'm pretty happy that I managed to get this far, considering that I've either been studying or sleeping from all the stress. | This chapter was last updated on March 19, 2018.


	21. Chapter 21

The machines paraded between the buildings, the sound of drums and chants intermingling in the air. Crouched behind a boulder at the edge of the kingdom was A2, Merlot, and Emil. Syrah's gun glinted, just barely, from the line of trees across from them.

"We're really doing this," Merlot said. Her fingers were squeezed tight around the handle of her gun.

It occurred to A2 that Fort Verne was well and truly gone. Although some survivors remained, the place that Merlot and Syrah had known and loved would never be the same. Suddenly, she felt guilty for not allowing them time to mourn, for not checking up on them as much as she should. They held hands a lot more often, as if trying to console each other's grief.

"You don't have to," A2 said gruffly.

"Well," Merlot tried for a smile, "I'm already here."

A bullet shot into the crowd, sending the machines into a frenzy. As the machines scattered, most heading toward Syrah and Pascal's position, the three of them ducked into a narrow alley. They scampered down the smoke-choked passageways, the sky little more than a sliver and the flower ever-present above them.

A volley of orbs ricocheted from the walls. Their entrance hadn't been entirely unnoticed. Merlot swung around. "I'll hold them off," she said.

A2 nodded. As much as she wanted to tell them how grateful she was for their help, there wasn't any time. If everything went as planned, she promised to be better.

She hurtled through streets, letting instinct numb her concern, until she reached a courtyard. Something was exploding from the windows above her, prompting her to throw up her arms, but she lowered them when she realized it was confetti.

Bipeds in ceremonial attire danced and clapped around the flower's stem, decorated by a string of jewels. A metallic pool rippled at the base, where a lone figure stood. They were singing, a haunting melody guiding the stream of maso swirling around the flower, infusing together with the crescendo. 

One by one, the machines began to notice her. The music seemed to stop. The confetti ceased to fall. The figure in the pool came around, her ponytail sweeping over her shoulder. "A2?" she said.

It all happened at once.

Emil barreled through the cluster of machines, opening a path. A2 dug her sword in after him, dust spitting from the ground as she charged for A4. The machines fumbled and blustered about. A4 didn't have a chance to run as A2 scooped her up and capered them over the rooftop, Emil following in pursuit.

"We're getting out of here," A2 said.

A4 looked up at her, and something in A2 tightened. The feel of her in her arms was almost too much to bear.

"Thank you," A4 said, her eyes glistening, "but it's too late."

A flash of light broke from the bud of the flower. Color washed out of the terminal before spreading to cover the entire kingdom in white. Fear hit A2 in a fever pitch as hands emerged from the petals. They twisted up, and up, to bring about the upper half of a giant.

A2 couldn't say a word as it looked around with long and sinuous movements. Its eyes were blank, and an eerie smile curled on its lips. Vines reared from the earth like snakes. They oozed through the alleys, the windows, and the woods, coming together and parting. She buckled as Merlot, Syrah, Pascal, and Emil were captured with the machines.

"Get the dragon," she could hear Merlot scream.

A2 shut her eyes, trying to awaken the connection the Colonel had given her. It soared above the trees, racing around the vines that pursued it, but as soon as it came within reach of the kingdom, it was knocked to the side by the giant.

The shadow of hand came over A2. She sunk to her knees, realizing with a sickening lurch that there was truly nothing she could do. The hand started to close around her, while everyone looked on with mute expressions of horror.

"I thought I was done with meddling."

A2 blinked. The giant had froze.

"I mean, I'm still in trouble for what I did last time, but I can't seem to resist."

A2 turned her head to find Accord poking at the body of the dragon. "Hm, that looks more like a wyvern to me."

"What did you do?"

"I paused time. Obviously," Accord said, straightening. "Not for long, though. The Watchers will find a way around the powers in our jurisdiction."

Watcher? Was that what it was? "Then what's the point?"

Accord smiled. "I'm going to tell you a secret."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looking back, you can actually make a drinking game from everything that's happened up until this point. Maybe I'll actually make a list one day. | This chapter was last updated on March 19, 2018.


	22. Chapter 22

"What do you mean by a secret?" A2 said.

Accord chuckled. "Isn't it funny, how maso always leads to experimentation? In the right amount, it can lead to similar appearances as well." She bent over the side of the building to run a hand down Emil's cheek. "This boy, the aliens and the machines." She raised her fingertips over her chest. "Fortunately, that shell you wear is not a product of the cores you were given. It sleeps inside you. For the most part, I should say."

Accord hopped to sit on top of her suitcase, one leg crossed over the other. "The Logic Virus used to go by a different name, you know: The White Chlorination Syndrome. For a while, it only affected humans, as punishment for their so-called sins, but once the gods had eyes in this reality, well, they decided not to spare humanity's creation, who proved to be no better than their masters."

She made a perfect arch with her brow. "I thought the machines would have tried to live out their lives differently, but instead they let their curiosity run too far. One of them had even drawn the symbols of the Watchers on his arm, without really knowing what they meant." She produced a leather book from her back, and casually turned through the pages. "But recreating a seal? Though this branch may be full of poor imitations, you sure do cause a lot of trouble for us in the Old World."

A2 felt her hands twitch, but she decided she simply didn't want to know. She was done with the lies, the revelations, the whole damn conspiracy of it all. "Just tell me what I need," she said.

Accord made a show of looking at her wrist. "Ah, yes. Aren't we strapped for time? I've never been granted permission for anything this big before, so you should consider yourself lucky." She pushed her glasses up the length of her nose. "But then again, it doesn't feel like you've earned it, doesn't it? Maybe I should let you handle this, after all. You _are_ the hero of your own story—"

A2 stomped her heel on the suitcase and brought the sword within an inch of Accord's neck. "I don't give a damn about what you, or what anyone, thinks I am. You're going to tell me how to defeat this thing. Whether you want to get hurt in the process is your call."

Accord slid her a lazy grin. "Then listen close."

The hand moved once more.

A2 exhaled, quieting her soul, and said the words she most wanted to hear, disconnecting herself from everything but the sound of her drumming pulse. Slowly but surely, a glowing circle appeared at her feet. There was a strange and powerful rhythm to her movements. She felt strength from places she'd never known, most of all her own.

The eyes of the dragon came to life. Its muscles ripped with a presence that wasn't there before. It stood behind her, flames flickering from the crevices of its jaw, as the giant struggled to break free of an invisible force.

With a flash, the bright light left the dragon's mouth. Jets of fire flew apart across the giant. A2 stared in the face of its outstretched hand, making one last bid for her, as its howls dissipated into the sky.

—

Emil was the last to spring free from his confinement, bouncing around the rooftop in joyous glee. Pascal remarked on how contagious his enthusiasm was, while Merlot and Syrah shared a kiss. A4 had her back to A2, facing the sun still set on the horizon.

"So," A2 asked, "are you going to try to infect us now?"

A4 smoothed her dress. "No. I think destroying the terminal's changed something." She looked up. "But there are more of them out there."

A2 shrugged. "We'll take it one at a time."

"What about you?" A4 said, not quite meeting her eyes. "Are you and Pascal still going to try to make peace with the machines?" 

A4 stepped into the space beside her, the dove flitting on the rail between them. "Yeah, I guess we are." They might even stay in the ruins of the fort for a little longer.

A4 looked down to see the machines sitting up slowly, blinking between green and yellow lights. "I can't say for sure, but I feel like they've lost their control over me. I… I'm not sure what to do."

"There's nothing wrong with inventing your own meaning," A2 found herself saying. "How about we start over?"

She hadn't completely forgiven her. It probably wasn't all going to be roses and daises. She was taking a risk just by talking to her. But if she was going to keep living in a world where nothing made sense, if there wasn't one truth to the universe, she wanted A4 to be there. 

A2 extended a hand. "Unit A2."

A4 looked at it and then at her, a blush rising to her cheeks. "A4."

A2 pulled her against her chest. "Do you promise to remember me this time?"

"I couldn't forget if I tried."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, boy. So we've reached the end. Now the editing really begins. | This chapter was last updated on March 9, 2018.


End file.
